What Happens in January

Jude's 1st birthday party was Saturday!  Oh...  It's almost more than I can stand.  He turns one for really reals on Wednesday.  Then Chris and I leave for Denver on Thursday for my Grandparents' 90th birthday celebration.  Oh...  The craziness.  It's almost more than I can stand.  And I'm putting together the slideshow for their party...  And I just sit at the computer and cry like a giant baby.  Because...  Yes.    It's more than I can stand.

So...

Anyways...

Back in January, I took a photo every day of something that was going on around here.  It usually had something to do with a little boy.  Or four.  Then I posted one photo every day...  Mostly.  Sometimes.  I know it's mid-February now...  But here they are!  Proof that we were all here in January.  Wearing pajamas and playing with Legos.  Which by the way, is a great movie.  And by the way, I think they based the character of Unikitty off of me.  It's uncanny...

But I digress.

Little boys.  Legos.  Go.

January Photo a Day Project- Just a Few

 Just a few photos from the pile I have to catch up on posting for my January Photo a Day project.  I love doing these projects.  Because I'm really good at getting things done.   Because I love how if forces me to slow down and see how beautiful every day is.  I'm a lucky girl...

Someone has finally decided he's ready to pee and poop in superhero underwear every day be potty trained.  We're working on it.  Sometimes, when your mom is in the shower... you steal her phone.  Then, sometimes...  you get cozy on her bed.  Then...  Sometimes you're having so much fun playing Angry Birds Star Wars that you pee and pee and pee.  All over Mom and Dad's bed.  Or, just to switch things up, Dad's leather chair.  It's awesome.  Don't worry though.  We always wash our hands!  (And then maybe throw a fit because Mom won't let her use her shirt for you to dry your hands on.  She makes you use a towel like some kind of commoner!)

Jude wants to be in there with his brothers so desperately...

Oh, Jude.  You're so deliciously squishy.

Photo a Day- Harry on Most Days

Most days, you are too big for a nap.

Most days, you fall asleep in the car when we pick your brothers up from school.

Most days, I carry you inside and lay you down in our bed.  

Always on my side. 

Harry's New Groove

Harry has officially entered a new phase.  He no longer finds Aretha Franklin on my phone every time he gets ahold of it.  I'm a little sad about it...  It was so cute to see my chubby two year old jamming out with the Queen of Soul.  We were waiting for a table at a restaurant last February.  I was hugely pregnant with #4.  It wasn't a restaurant I would ever choose, but we were given a gift card for Christmas.  And they have biscuits.  And a lobster tank.  Obviously, Lucas wants to live there.

sigh...  A mother's love.

So, we were in the ridiculously crowded lobby.  (What is the deal???  This is not exactly fine cuisine.  Why, why, why would anyone wait this long???  Has to be the biscuits.  No other explanation. Or in our case, the deadly combo of gift card, lobster tank, popcorn shrimp and a super excited green eyed boy that I can't say no to.)  Waiting.  For 524,600 minutes.  Seriously.  Epic.

Harry had my phone.  I was trying to keep him still.  He found Aretha.  Of course he found Aretha.  He always finds Aretha.  His favorite song.  Since You've Been Gone.  1968.  Lady Soul album.

My two year old stands up on the bench.  Turns up volume on my iPhone with his chubby little toddler hands.  Holds it out in front of him in a broad, slow sweep.  Sharing with the people.  Head bobbing intently to the beat.  Face plainly saying, Yeah...  I know, right?  Brilliant.  Queen of Soul.  You're welcome, citizens.  You.  Are.  Welcome.  

Even though it was loud in that cramped little lobby (of course it was loud.  All that humanity crammed in one tight space, clamoring for their cheesy biscuits.  Stressing out the lobsters.  Breathing all my air.), Harry still turned heads.  I didn't try to stop him.  He's on a mission to educate the masses.  I salute him.  Proud of my little man.

We have now left the Aretha Phase.  And have entered...

The Beatles Phase.

Or more specifically, the Hey Jude phase.  It's the only song he ever wants to sing.  (well, occasionally he throws in The Itsy Bitsy Spider to mix things up a bit.  Gotta keep it fresh.)  Sings it to Baby Jude whenever he is sad.  Which, incidentally is the cutest thing ever since the creation of man.  No music shall be heard in Prince Harry's hearing that is not Hey Jude.  Or there shall be great suffering throughout the land.  Mine, mostly.

He sings it all the way through, even the crazy long ending.  (So dang long...  so, so, so long.)  His favorite part is the "na-na-na-nas".

To sum it up. my kid is awesome.  For reals.

Oh.  And he occasionally wears super hero costumes in public.  And by occasionally, I mean every time we leave the house.

Double awesome.

P-P-P-Feeeese!

Mommy?  Can I have some candy?

 Feese?  Feeeeeese?  Oh, feese!  Oh, feese!  Oh, feese!

 Feese.

Happy Birthday Harry! (a month ago!)

My blog is getting a face lift!  It was time, Gentle Reader.  It was time.  I had photos on the slide show of Harry crawling.  He walks now, did you know?  So, things are about to look totally different all up in here.  I'm excited!  

Anyway...

 ...............................................................................................................

So...

Gentle Reader.

You know I have four kids, right?

That's my new excuse for everything.  Piles of laundry?  Four kids, back off.  Don't return phone calls and emails?  Don't judge me, people.  Four kids.  Crazy messy kitchen, unmade beds, wearing the same pair of yoga pants with spit up on them four days in a row?  Yeah.  Shut up.  Four kids.

I'm sticking to that.

That's why you haven't seen any posts about our vacation we took.  In June.  Or heard any great stories about Max and his existential crisis.  Or rambles about the sweetest baby in the entire world.

This seems to be a theme...  I think Every post in the last six months has began somewhat like this...

Anyway.

Harry's three now.  Here's a whole buncha photos from his birthday party.  I had to do something for this party that I have never, ever, ever done before.  Something I swore I would never do.

The night before the party, I baked Harry's birthday cake.  It was kind of a beachy theme, and his cake was to be in the shape of a sand castle.  It was late, and I was impatient.  I tried to take the cake out of the sandcastle cake pan before it had cooled down...  I know.  Rookie mistake.  It totally came apart.  Not savable.  At all.  Maybe I cried.  Maybe.  A little bit.

The next morning at 7:00 am I went to the bakery down the street.  Maybe in my pajamas.  Maybe.  A little bit.

I left with a delicious chocolate cake and some really lovely sugar cookies.  It was so easy...  Oh dear... It's like I tried crack just once...  And now...

Anyway.

Happy Birthday Harry.  You've been three for a month.  Cheers.

 I maybe bought a LOT of candy.  Maybe.  Just a little bit.

 I love how excited the kids were to have a cherry in their pink lemonade.  So wonderful!!

The birthday boy!

 This was the only little man who wore his hat for longer than 5 minutes.  I googled how to make a paper hat the morning of the party.  I'm slipping, Gentle Reader.  

 Three candles on that store bought (freaking delicious) cake!

And then this happened.

 And then this happened.

 And then THIS happened.  Exit sweet children, enter drowned rats.  Amp up the sugar, please.

 Miss Marlowe was SO excited to have another girl to play with.  (Although, she doesn't look excited here.  She looks like she is sugar crashing and was just hosed down by a big brother.  Which may have been the case.)  She is usually surrounded by boys.  Her two brothers, her two boy cousins, and my four boys.  Sister's desperate for a little female companionship.

 I know how you feel, Miss Marlowe.  I really, really do. 

Sprinklers.  Water guns.  Good times.  Lucas stayed inside, thank you very much.  Not his bag.

Happy Birthday, Harry!  We're glad you were born!